Ambient Light
by GermanSheppies
Summary: USUK -Arthur's POV-Arthur Kirkland is a young photographer entering an art college for the first time.But, his roommate turns out to be an annoying Alfred Jones, who rocks at anything he thing he tries. Arthur hates his dorm-mate at first glance, but soon learns to love the American. But, as Arthur discovers, loving someone can be dangerous, especially on college grounds.


A boy stood in my dorm room.

His shoulders were broad and wide, if he had any more muscles they would have ripped through his shirt. His hair was slightly wavy, long in the front and short in the back, his bangs went over the corners of his red glasses. His hair was golden in color. Like his shoulders and arms, his hands were rather large and strong looking, but yet his fingers were skinny and long. His face was chiseled, and he was rather handsome. He towered over me, though, maybe six feet tall.

The only thing that wasnt screaming 'jock' was his square, red glasses and his sky blue eyes. His voice even shouted it, that somewhat scratchy but yet smooth 'skater-boy' voice.

I can't beileve this jock is my roomate.

I hope this was some mistake.

I looked down at the papers which I had balanced neatly on the box I was carrying. My roommate's name read 'Alfred F. Jones' on the paper, hopefully this isn't him. Well, Jones does sound pretty 'All-Out-American', which this boy looks like. I looked back up at him, biting my lip. He didn't really seem to take notice of me, even though I had been staring at him for a while now. He looks to big to be going to this school, shouldn't he be in some football college or something? This is for art. According to the papers, under interest it says he's here for digital art. Once he bent down I saw his US boxers a good inch in front of his pants, I hate it when men do that.

"Um," I muttered. He looked up at me, his eyes expanding slightly.

"Oh, hi," He smiled kindly. His teeth were a perfect white. Jesus, he even smells like a jock, he must have sprayed five gallons of men's perfume all over himself. He looked back down to his own boxes, he seemed to be organizing them.

"Are you, Alfred by any chance?"

He perked up, humming slightly once hearing the name. "Yup, that's me," He started to unload a single box, quickly pushing the flaps open. "Arthur, right?"

"Yeah," I said quietly.

You know, when I thought about art college, I thought I'd be dorm buddies with someone who wasn't six feet tall with clearly dyed hair. No one can have that colored hair without it being dyed. His tan might be fake too. Hopefully he's not around much, I'll just be sleeping in the same room as him. Because I know I'll be sitting around here a lot, i'm not very sociable. I spend my time looking at written smut and taking pictures. I also like to write, but I don't take it very seriously.

I'm not going to enjoy this. I've always had my own things, own room, I don't like sharing. Now i'm not selfish, I just like my personal space. I don't want to be sharing with this guy either, he's loud, and he makes me feel small. I've been standing in here for ten minutes, and I already know i'm not going to be fond of him.

But I have to keep my eye on the prize, I need a degree in photography. Thats all I need and i'm out, four years. I'm not here for friends, not here to party, I just need to escape as soon as I can. Get a job, make money, and slip through this almost unseen. A few friends is fine, I can't go through this alone clearly, but i'm not going to try as hard as I did in high school. High School was no fun, and all of my 'friends' were punk jerks.

But the one thing I remember hating the most was the jocks. The way the bragged, the way they got all the girls, the way their muscles ripped through their shirts. They were not intelligent, they weren't artistic, they weren't even funny! Just cursed with good looks huge muscles and big dicks. And here's mister 'all-American-dream' standing right infront of me. Damn this sucks.

"You're um," Alfred paused, looking at his own paper which rested on the bed, "Photographer?"

I nodded and put my box down, "I'm guessing you're taking that side of the room." I looked at the side he had all of his boxes organised it.

"Oh, yup," Alfred nodded, looking back at me with hopeful eyes, "If you don't mind, of course."

The dorm was a medium size. We both had one of those wooden beds with the ladder, underneath the bed having a dresser and a desk, a little extra room for something like drawers, the side of the bed being a bookshelf, leaving us with little space of our own to put decor; like posters. I wasn't a big decore person, so I didn't mind. The walls were a very light grey with a darker gray carpet. It was semi-cosy.

I started to unpack as Alfred did so. He had gotten here before me so he was a step ahead, but I started on neatly putting my clothes away, then setting up my desk with small wooden and led cats and corgis. I placed my laptop on it, plugging it into a charger along with my camera.

Then I crawled onto the top of my bed and started to place pictures around my bed. Pictures of my family, childhood friends, old girlfriends, and just some pieces i'm really proud of. I looked at the picture of my dad and I on my graduation day and smiled, my father has always been there for me. Mom left somewhere along the way, but my dad's always been really ace.

You're probably wondering about my girlfriend? Yeah, she was pretty cool. She moved away two years ago, ending our relationship. Her name was Rebecca, she wasn't exactly pretty, but she was perfect. She was sweet and nice, and had adorable freckles and wore glasses too big for her eyes. She usually wore her hair up and she loved hot co-co. When she would come over, I would always cook her hot chocolate and I would have tea. When we were together, everybody thought we were the cutest couple. She wasn't the girliest, though, and she was really over protective over me. It was awfully cute. I miss her, a lot. She said that once she graduates college she'll move back with me and we'll live together. I don't mind if she meets someone new, though. I'll be upset of course, but i'm nothing much and a lot of guys are a lot more handsome than I am. I'm actually pretty girly looking. I text her still of course, but keeping a relationship is too hard.

I set up my bed. I took out one of the old teddy-bears Rebeca had gotten me before she left, realised Alfred was watching me and shoved it under the covers. I still sleep with that thing, it reminds me of her, hopefully Alfred doesn't make fun of me for it.

I sighed, closed my eyes and laid on my bed. I'm done getting ready, i'll buy a couch or something later. I heard something pop and opened my eyes, looking down to Alfred. He was chewing bright pink bubble gum, playing something on his phone. I looked over Alfred's side of the room, in which he had hung a poster of some almost naked lady on the side of his bed.

Do people even know what true love is anymore? People treat partners like sex toys now, and i'm guessing this is what Alfred does as well. The poster of the lady gives it away. She was very attractive though, I must admit.

"You keeping that there?" I asked. Alfred looked up at me, popping his bubble gum again.

"What?"

"The poster." I looked over to it, and Alfred turned to the direction I was looking at. It just looks so weird, a bleach-blonde-haired lady with the tiniest bikini i've ever seen just, sitting there.

"Oh," Alfred looked at me and nodded. "If it's bothering you I can take it down."

It was bothering me, it's disturbing me slightly. I don't like what the world thinks is 'sexy'. I like nice girls, I mean, sex is cool, but things like that just gross me out.

And anyways, i'm not one into girls all that much. I mean, I have dated one.

My other two partners have been men. I don't know, men can be jerks, so I don't normally date them. But I find them much more attractive than women. Rebeca was rather manly anyways. My gay partners never stuck around long, I was usually in love with them because they were sexually pleasing or they found me sexually pleasing. Not real love. But, i've never gotten to know many people very well, so it's nothing really.

I decided to handle myself maturely, "No. It doesn't bug me too much. Why, do you jerk off to it?" I hissed rudley. Alfred made a sour face.

"You know," Alfred started to speak, turning around to face me again, "I'd call you something really offensive right now, but you know what?" Alfred smiled mischievously and walked over to the poster. I watched him curiously and closely as he walked to the poster. Alfred slammed his hand on the wall where the woman on the poster's breast was, and started to make squishing motions with his fingers. Then he made the classic 'jizz-in-my-pants' face along with an over-the-top groan. I giggled. "You like that, babe?" Alfred purred in a deep voice, his fat tongue poking out of his lips. I smiled again, another small laugh coming from my throat. Alfred looked at me and smiled, his hand dropping to his side.

Okay, okay, fine, that was respectively funny.

Alfred started to take the poster down. I raised a brow, and I thought of questioning him, but he answered my question for me. "You know, i've decided not to be a complete player this time."

"Were you the stereotypical jock, I presume?" I said with a small laugh, watching Alfred tuck away the poster in a drawer. Alfred looked up at me, he seemed to be one to take sarcasm lightly, thank god.

"Not necessarily," Alfred said quietly, his eyes darting away from mine. "I was bullied back in middle, you know," he stared at me as if I should have known why, but I had no idea. He picked this up and laughed, pointing to his glasses. "Four-eyes."

"Oh," I said, that was pretty obvious.

"Second year of High School was when I got popular," He said pacing around the room,

"Everyone realised I was a weapon in football. I mean, a six-foot-tall, two-hundred-pound four eyes is a pretty scary thing to see charging at you." I smiled. Alfred actually has somewhat of a nice sense of humour. "I've always been more of an artist though, so now i'm here," Alfred took a step onto the ladder leading to my bed, "Well, what's your life story? Anyone call you fuzzy-brows or something?"

Alfred smiled, but I didn't take that comment kindly. My eyebrows have always been something i've hated. They're not thick or fuzzy like people say, but for some reason they've grown in black, which doesn't match my pale hair at all. So, people presume they are much bigger than they really are.

"Eh, I was just kidding, dude," Alfred said. He obviously saw my discomfort with that question,

"Your eyebrows, uh, add character. Real Brit you are."

I sighed and nodded. Alfred sat down next to me on my bed, the structure creaking. "Sorry dude." Alfred bit his lip and I shook my head.

"It's fine."

Alfred roughly patted my back, causing my body to lurch forward. I flinched as he did this, Alfred has some big hands. "Well, eh, you draw?"

Alfred's wide smile came back, "Yeah! I draw anime and manga, that sort of thing. Hentai sometimes as well."

I decided not to ask him what hentai was. I just eyed him curiously, but looked away after a while. I hate to say this, but Alfred is very pleasing to look at. He's very handsome, so are a lot of boys that large who have thrown themselves into sports. I know this sounds weird, but Alfred's nose is just really attractive. I know, I know, noses are the first thing I see in a person. Don't make fun of it. I wouldn't date him, I don't think, but he is very handsome.

"So," Alfred looked at me. It felt funny him towering over me like this, I don't necessarily enjoy him being so big. It makes me feel small and wimpy. I looked up at him, and we stared awkwardly at each other for a while, before blushing and pulling a way.

We only had known each other for five minutes. Being inches away from each others faces is way too early now.

"So I have a date in a few minutes," Alfred murmured quietly, "I'm going to need to go to that, nice meeting you, Arthur."

"Ah, nice meeting you too," I said quietly as Alfred climbed off my bed. He smiled and nodded. "Be seeing you around."

"Sure hope so, we live together." Alfred gave me a toothy grin, grabbed his wallet from under his bed and ran out the door, the door slamming loudly. Ah, the lad forgot his key.

I might actually not mind this. Alfred seems okay.

But just okay. The whole player thing kind of freaks me out.

/**/

I looked around me. I did not like this place, I feel way to open. Way, way to open. I can't write here, I can't do really anything. I truthfully felt like I was in a movie, everyone had their backpacks and notebooks. I never thought sitting in a lecture hall would be this scary.

I sat down where the least people were. It was still rather early and I knew this place would fill up more. I don't want to talk to anybody, hopefully nobody has to talk to me. I began doodling on the notebook with my pen, just fancy little squiggly lines, i'm no artist. I take pictures, I don't draw. But yet doodling has been a universal stress reliever.

I heard a noise next to me, perking up, I saw another male sit next to me. I swallowed and continued doodling. There is plenty of open spaces, why chose the one next to me?

The other male looked at me. He had a square face like Alfred did, but he wasn't as large. "Hey, you a, uh, artist? This is a writing class"

"Ah," I looked up, staring and getting a good look at the other male. He had curly, black wiry hair, some freckles scattered across his cheeks. His eyes were a deep brown as well. "No, i'm a photographer, i'm just, doodling."

"Ah, still a writing class," The other smiled widely, his dimples appearing as if from nowhere.

I shuffled my feet nervously in response, shrugging as I talked, "I dabble in writing."

The other boy nodded dramatically. He wore some Hot Topic t-shirt with a cat on it that read on the top 'release the kraken'. Isn't he cold? It's pretty chilly in here. He held out a hand to me, "I'm Aaron."

"Ehm, Arthur," I shook his hand politely, but still felt awkward touching him. I don't know, touching people on your first meeting is quite strange to me. Plus his hands were a lot bigger than mine.

My hand shot back to the desk in front of me. I'm not too awkward, surprisingly. I'm very coordinated as I've found out in my 18 years of living on this planet. I'm more awkward inside. I'm mentally shy and freaked out by everyone, easily startled, I just don't show it. I like other people to see me as polite, not scared and freaked out by everyone. I actually feel better around certain girls then I do guys, it makes me feel quite strange. I don't think i'm gay, though, necessarily. I do find men attractive, but yet I find certain girls attractive. It's very confusing but i've chosen to try and keep it as simple as possible. I'll leave that to figure out when I get out of here, with my photography degree. If Rebeca doesn't want to get back together with me.

I pulled out my cellphone. I went to turn it off, I don't want to be the one kid who's phone goes off in the first class on the first day. But then I saw I had a text from Rebecca, and my nervousness was replaced with a small relief. Good, she hasn't forgotten about me yet.

How's your first day bushy-brows?

I don't mind when Rebecca calls me that. That's how we met, she was attracted to me by my

eyebrows out of all things. She started calling me that when we first started dating, and she's the

only one I let make fun of my eyebrows. She's not really making fun of me though, just being silly. I smiled.

Guess who I got as a roommate? A jock, out of all things.

I awaited a answer. She might be busy, so I don't expect her to reply right back. Aaron tapped my shoulder, and my small amount of happiness went into 'oh no he popped my personal space bubble.' Which for a split second I had switched into attack mode.

"Is that your girlfriend?" He asked. None of his business! But I answered anyways, I don't want to be rude. Even though he's being pretty rude, I must be the bigger man here.

"Yes, sort of," I answered, "Long distance relationship." Aaron nodded, his black curls bouncing. His hair started with a V in front of his forehead, and fled above his temples.

"Aw," Aaron's lips pursed. I almost had a heart attack once my phone buzzed.

Another text from Rebeca; Is he cute? 3

I chuckled on the inside; He's adorable. The first thing he did was hang up a picture of a girl in the tightest bikini i've ever seen.

Rebeca responded back; What's he look like? Details, Artie, details!

Blonde hair, blue eyes. Basically a giant. If he had anymore muscles they'd rip through his shirt, that kind of guy. Actually, his sense of humour is alright.

I awaited a response patiently, but now I could feel Aaron watching me. Mind your own business.

Don't you like blonde hair and blue eyed guys? Was Rebecca's response. I quickly turned with my phone so Aaron could no longer read the texts.

Oh belt up, Bec, I wrote back, I like personality. I like you.

Aw Artie~ Was Rebecca's response. I smiled, I was good at sweet, gentleman-y stuff like that. I think Rebecca saw me as semi-pathetic half the time, but in my share of things I think i'm a wonderful boyfriend. I'm polite, laugh at all of her jokes, don't interupt. I'm more of a listener than a story teller. Then I saw the doors fling open in the front. My new professor was coming. I quickly sent Rebeca a goodbye and turned off my phone, sliding it deep into my pocket.

I shook my pen and tapped the top, getting the ink ready to take notes.

The fiction writing professor was a female. She had long, straight brown hair that was tied back in a low ponytail. Her bangs were free from the hair band, though, a single ringlet in each side of her hair. Her green eyes matched her hair, and I got a very calming feeling about her.

Oh hey, she has the same jacket I have too.

Okay... That's a bit strange but, anyhow.

She carried a large messenger back with two books poking through the top. Round cheeks, soft features. And dainty little hands as well. She set her back down on the desk that the lecture hall was positioned around. She swished her ponytail around, her ringlets bouncing, before she spoke.

"Welcome, class!" She shouted, her arms expanding as if she were trying to hold the whole lecture hall. Her eyes brightened immediately, her character changing entirely. I almost jumped as she did this, that scared me. "Hope you are all having a perfect first day!" I looked at Aaron, who was now snickering quietly. Oh jeez, I was really hoping I would have someone a little calmer for fiction writing.

"I'm Eliza Reed," My professor said loudly, "You can call me Eliza or Ms. Reed, really doesn't matter to me!" She clapped her hands together. Ms. Reed was like a comic character, very bouncy and flamboyant. I guess I liked her so far, she seemed nice, but i'm not sure if I like her as a teacher. "First of all, today's lesson is on introduction of characters! The most important thing in a story are its precious little characters, that in which make the story!"

I looked to Aaron. Lesson on the first day? Well, glad I brought my notebook. Work is something that doesn't bother me, unless I get to much to do in little time. I have never been a straight A student, but, work has never been too much of a pain. Besides math, jesus, I hate math. I opened my notebook and wrote on the first page.

Ms. Reed's class, Fiction Writing.

First day. Character Introduction.

I looked at Ms. Reed for more notes.

"Now, first impression is one of the most important things of the character," Ms. Reed said, her fingers curling on the lip of her desk as she surveyed us, watching us like a meal. I swallowed

and wrote down; First Impression = Important

"It goes down to the detail on walking, the way they look at other characters, they way they talk. It depends on little details to make a character," Ms. Reed smiled at the lot of us, and my pen dashed across my notebook. "You're probably calling me crazy, but let me set an example."

Oh god. Whenever I watch people embarrass themselves, it just embarases me as well for some reason. I hope many people feel the same about that.

"Now, see, if I walk like this," Ms. Reed paused to start walking. Her character completely changed, her muscles relaxing as she did the 'cool person' walk. And it wasn't over the top either, it looked perfect. She jumped up after a few strides and continued to talk, "You see? Now if I do it like this." Ms. Reed started to walk actually in her character, her muscles strained and she slightly bounced. It looked normal as well though, but it was drastically different from the other. The pen tapped against my paper.

"I'm also an actress if anyone is wondering," Ms. Reed winked and stepped closer to the seats. "Now sweet children," She said, raising a finger, "this class will be no more mature than the ones for the 'big kids'," Ms. Reed paused and looked at all of us, "Don't think i'm going easy on you freshman. I will treat you just as I would seniors, unless you get lost on campus, then i'll help you." She smiled, and one girl giggled. I wrote in capital letters 'Ms. Reed gives directions' on my paper. I knew i'd be getting lost a little. I should take a walk around campus after today so I can remember where to go.

"I have just noticed, none of you are taking notes." I paused, i'm taking notes. Now that I realise it, I can't hear anyone else's pens or pencils across paper or the typing of a laptop.

"Oh, Arthur's taking notes!"

As soon as I heard Aaron's voice I wanted to hiss at him and crawl into the corner like an angry cat. Why, oh why would he bring attention to me like that? Even if he isn't able to pick up that I don't like people, I've only known this guy for five minutes! Ms. Reed looked at me, her eyes squinting and glaring at me. I felt my heart race quicken as she death stared me like a hungry lion, about to pounce over the lecture hall seats and eat me up while screaming something about character introduction.

"Mister, Kirkland, is it?"

I paused and then nodded quickly, "Yes ma'am." I swallowed as I felt tension draw too me.

"Check plus for the class," Her lips hung onto the 's' in class like a snake. She smiled kindly though, and I felt my body relax as her eyes let go of me.

As we left class, Aaron quickly jogged to keep up with my storming out of the classroom. Aaron's too loud, worse than Alfred if anything. Is nobody calm here? And everybody i've seen is either African American or normal American. Maybe I can find a group of British kids who all watch Doctor Who and drink tea. Unless they're not freshman, seniors are scary.

As I tried to exit the lecture hall, Ms. Reed caught me. Aaron spotted her and quickly ran out of the lecture hall.

"Mister Kirkland," She said loudly, even though she was only talking to me. She reached down to one of my shoulders and curled her fingers around it.

"Hum, you can call me Arthur, Ms. Reed." I've always felt better in one on one situations like this. And she's an adult, I can talk to adults.

"Kirkland fits you better, you are an Englishman, it would be proper to call you by your last name, correct?"

Actually, that is somewhat correct.

"I guess, but- ah, call me whatever you want," I smiled. Ms. Reed giggled, but her eyes locked with my camera around my neck. I had one of those Canon bags for my six-hundred-dollar camera, which made my six-hundred-dollar camera six-hundred and fifty. It was a good purchase though, I don't want my baby breaking.

"That's a pretty nice camera bag if you are a writer."

I paused. Don't say you're not a writer, don't say you 'dabble' in it. I feel like Ms. Reed will attack me if I say that. "Um, I also do photography."

"So you have that a thousand dollar camera just because you 'dabble' in shooting?"

Hey, she said my word.

"No, I do the dabbling in writing," I giggled nervously, wiping a piece of blonde hair from my forehead, "I take it seriously though, its one of my favorite things to do."

"Do you have any pieces with you?" She asked. Thank you, moving on from me taking pictures.

"No, my apologies," I said quietly with a respectful nod.

"Ah, you seem like you're very good with English, mister note taker," Ms. Reed said with a short laugh. I laughed too. Ms. Reed was nice, but i'm not so sure about her as a teacher. English and writing is a serious matter, i'm not so sure she can deliver what I'm wanting.

I nodded, not sure what else to say. She smiled softly, taking my shoulder and bending down in the slightest (I wasn't much shorter than her in the first place). Our eyes locked, but this time I wasn't nervous, it was a kind glance.

"I will be expecting great things from you, Mister Kirkland."

updated

and now we have to double space

i'm going to shoot myself in the head.

OKAY well I finished the new version of Ambient Light, finaly! This one should be better than autographs.

Arthur's going to be coming from more of a level-head, calm standpoint this time. And Alfred is going to be less bouncy.

Jesus christ I need to go to bed.


End file.
